FAMINE IN FLOUR.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VII, Issue 2027, 13 August 1920, Page 7

FAMINE IN FLOUR.

TROUBLE AT NAPIER. GENEBAL PROSPECTS NOT CtOOD. There is something approaching a famine, in flour in Napier. Urgent re-: presentations for supplies have- been made to the Board of Trade, and stocks are to be shipped from Lyttelton. For the purpose, arrangements have been made for the Monowai to call at Napier on her way to Auckland, and this vessel is now loading flour.

The shortage in Napier at this stage! is significant, for men in the trade have predicted that there will be a general scarcity before the end of the year. The latest threshing returns for the six. months ended June 30 are certainly disquieting. They account for 4,253,938; bushels, and presumably the amount yet. tor be thresjjed, will make little diffcr-i 1 ence to these figures. This year, about: 1,750,000 bushels were imported from' Australia, bringing the total to about 6,000,000 bushels. The previous season the crop was 6,567,629 bushels, and the season before that 6,807,537 bushels. During both these periods it was necessary to import Australian wheat. It will be seen that even with the imported grain the quantity of wheat this year is below the yield of the two, previous seasons, which, as previously; stated, were not sufficient for the full' requirements.